Barrel



(No Model.) I, 2 Sheets-Sheet 1., J. JLLUQK.

Barrel. No. 242,948. Patented June 14,1881.

'(No Model.)

No. 242,94sj

2 Sheets-Sheen; 2.

J. L'I'IGK.

Barrel.

Patented Jurie 14,1881.

N. PETERS, Plmmukhogmpher. Wahinwn. D, C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. LUCK, OF RIPON, WISCONSIN.

BARREL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,948, dated June 14, 1881.

Application filed April 19, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. LiioK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ripon, in the county of Fond du Lac and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and. useful Improvements in Barrels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of barrels in which the barrel is composed of a flexible sheet or series of staves that can be either rolled into compact form or unrolled and securely held and locked in barrel shape.

The improvementconsists in certain means for lockin g the meeting edges of the said flexible sheet or series of staves, and for securely binding the staves together, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Inthe drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete barrel. Fig. 2 represents two sections of the flexible sheet or series of staves which constitutes the barrel, and shows the inner sides of the meeting edges of the same, in order to illustrate the locking devices. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the lockingplates. Fig. 4 represents one of the keys. Fig. 5 represents a portion of two of the meeting edges of the flexible sheet of staves locked toget-her. Fig. 6 is a top or plan view of Fig. 1, and illustrates one end of the barrel. Fig.7

illustrates a wooden hoop with the lockingdeaddition to the fastenings G H, as hereinafter described. Fig.0 represents a flexible sheet or series of staves unfolded. Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line a0 as, Fig. 5.

The barrel herein represented is composed of the requisite number of staves A, flexibly connected together by means of the Wires B. These wires lie in the grooves O, that are formed in the inner faces of the staves, and transversely to their length. The wires also pass through staples D, that are secured to the staves over the grooves therein, one or more staples being'secured over each groove. The above constitutes a flexible sheet or series of staves held closely tdgether, which sheet can In order to hold the meeting edges of the sheet together so as to form the barrel I provide lockin g devices constructed and arranged as follows:

E indicates the hoops, one of which will be at each end of the barrel, and two or more arstaples F, that are secured to a stave at the opposite edge of the said sheet. These free ends of the hoops, which extend beyond the staples, are provided with hooks G, the hookshaped portion of which is upon the inner side of the strap.

A locking-plate, H, is provided for the reccption of each book, said lockingplates being securely riveted to the inner face of the stave h, to which the secured ends of the straps are fastened upon its outer side. The rivets e e, that pass through the hoops and stave, also pass through the locking-plates, whereby the parts will be firmly held together. The locking-plate provided for the hook consists of a bed, h, and two parallel side flanges, I I, with curved and channeled top edges, k between which flanges the hook passes when the meeting edges of the flexible sheet of staves are brought together to form the barrel. The outer end of the bed portion of the locking-plate is beveled, as illustrated in Fig. 10, and that portion of the outer edge of the stave i which will be under the hook end of the hook is beveled down to the plates K, so that the opposing edges of the flexible sheet of staves can be outer edge of each flange is a projection, I, that is beveled upon its under side, and upon the inner'face of the stave '13 is a plate, K, upon which the beveled edges of the projections of the flanges hear when the sheet of staves-is brought into barrel form. Each of these flanges of the locking-plates is also provided with a notch, L, the purpose of which will be explained in connection with the locking-keys M. The conformation of such key is that of a wedge provided with a lip, m, at the butt-end thereof, to enable the operator to engage therewith a claw-hammer or other suitable tool, in order to withdraw the same when the key is held by the locking devices. The key can have a hole, through which a screw can be passed for preventing it from slipping; or a plate or. piece can be secured to the barrel over the head of the key. The inner faces of the staves are grooved, as at N, to receive the edge of the heads. Theheads willbeprovided with notches P P, so that they will fit closely upon the looking devices and the wedges, and also to permit the wedges or keys at the heads of the barrel to pass through, the notch P being more especially provided for the hook and key and the notch P for the plate K. In forming the barrel the flexible sheet is brought into cylindrical form and the hooks passed between the flanges of the locking-plates until the notch ot' the hook passes the notches of said flanges, after which the keys are inserted between the notches L Lof the flanges and the hook. The wedges or keys are then driven and wedged between the same until the meeting edges of the two wide staves are held firmly together and the hoops drawn tightly upon the barrel. It will be remembered that the hoops are secured at one end and left free at the remain ing ends that pass through the staples, and hence they can be drawn tightly upon the barrel. This operation also serves to secure the heads in place, one of which will be sprung in after the central lockin g devices have been secured by the keys.

. The grooves h before referred to,- in the flanges I of thelocking-plates, are made so that should the plate be set to bring either flange in line with the groove N in the staves in which the head fits the head can be beveled 1 and adapted to fit into said groove in the flange in the same way that it fits into the groove N.

As shown in Fig. 9, the wires lie in grooves in the staves. Each will be fastened at one end of the flexible sheet of staves, and, passing through staples D on all of the staves, finally passes through a staple, R, upon the last stave, after which it will be formed in a knotto prevent slipping. These staples can he passed through washers 1", which can be arranged upon each side of the stave, if desired.

Fig. 7 shows a wooden hoop with a locking plate. In this case the plate H and shank or plate of hook Gare riveted to the hoop, or they can be secured thereto by staples S, as shown. The locking-plate and hook, in this case, should be the same, or substantially the same, in construction as those alreadydescribed prising a flexible sheet consisting of staves in connection with the previous figures.

In Fig. 8 the catch is formed ofa'metal strap, and is adapted to engage abroad metal loop v, upon the opposite end of the hoop. This form of fastening is only intended to be used, when preferred, in place of the two hereinbefore-described inner locking devices that are between those at the ends of the barrel, said end fastenin gs being, however, constructed in accordance with myinvention, as already described, and secured together by means of the keys.

If desired, the locking devices can be arranged outside of the barrel-heads, the keys locking the same passing through openings at the edges of the heads, and in place of the locking devices near the center of the barrel, as shown in Fig. 2, the locking device shown in Fig. 8 can be employed, as already stated.

If preferred, rivets at the free ends of hoops E can be arranged on the under side of the hoops and fit in slotted plates secured to the barrel.

,lockin g devices, which latter will be concealed within the barrel, excepting at the ends thereof. But in all instances the locking devices will be upon the inner faces of the staves when the flexible sheet of staves is brought intobarrel form and secured, as set forth,whereby' the outer surface of the barrel between its ends will be smooth, and no projections will occur to injure the hands of persons lifting the barrel or to interfere with the rolling of the same. Moreover, the locking devices will be protected from injury.

What I claim is l. The combination, with the barrel comprising a close flexible sheet consisting of staves held together by means which permit their moving toward each other, of the hoops secured at one end and provided at their free ends with books, and devices adapted to engage said hooks, arranged upon the inner sideof the barrel at one of the meeting edges of the sheet of staves, the said sheet or series of flexibly-connected staves being bent into barrel shape, and the free ends of the straps being passed between the meeting edges of the sheet and the hooks connected with the interior locking devices, whereby the said locking devices are all upon the inner sides of the staves, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the barrel comprising a close flexible sheet consisting of staves held together by means which permit their moving toward each other, of the hoops secured at one end and provided at their free ends with hooks, the locking-plates provided with notched side flanges, and the wedgeshaped keys adapted to be wedged in between the hooks and the notched portions of the flanges, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the barrel comheld together by wires lying in channels and passing through staples upon the inner faces prising a series of staves flexibly connected together, of the surrounding hoops E, secured at one end, and provided at their free end with hooks G, the locking-plates H, provided with notched flanges having the projections I, the wedge-shaped keys, and the 'platesK,

grooves, substan upon which said projections bear when the flexible sheet of staves is brought into barrel shape and the hoops drawn tight by wedging the keys between the hoops and the notched portions of the flanges of the locking-plates, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing wit- 'IIBSSES.

JOHN J. LUCK.

Witnesses:

T, D. STONE, L. E. N OHL. 

